A farewell to universalism, a farewell to equality? The paradox of redistribution in the era of the new politics of the welfare state
Articolo
Data di Pubblicazione:
2016
Citazione:
A farewell to universalism, a farewell to equality? The paradox of redistribution in the era of the new politics of the welfare state / I. Madama, M.M. Natili. - In: POLITICHE SOCIALI. - ISSN 2284-2098. - 3:3(2016), pp. 459-478. [10.7389/84846]
Abstract:
Over the last decades, means-tested benefits for workingage
individuals have gained more salience within the welfare state architecture of many
European countries, starting to represent a key response for people facing rather general
life-course and labour market risks. However, some recent studies pointed at declining
adequacy of minimum income benefits in Europe, suggesting the need to reconsider the
troubled relation between targeting, redistribution and the principle of equality. The aim
of the article is to investigate whether the old claim that welfare for the poor is likely to
become poor welfare holds still true in the era of the new politics of the welfare state, and
what factors mediate its functioning. To this end we provide a critical review of the broad
branch of studies that – either through applied research or more theoretically oriented
readings – have dealt with the well-known Paradox of Redistribution: «the more we target
benefits at the poor [...] the less likely we are to reduce poverty and inequality»(Korpi and
Palme 1998, 681). Addressing the political obstacles and incentives that arise with regard
to the adoption of purely redistributive measures, we offer a more nuanced response to the
old dispute regarding whether the expansion of means-tested measures must (necessarily)
lead to an abandonment of the objective of combating inequality and poverty.
Tipologia IRIS:
01 - Articolo su periodico
Keywords:
poverty; targeting; distributive outcomes; paradox of redistribution
Elenco autori:
I. Madama, M.M. Natili
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